


In fact, the prevailing narrative is that the pandemic has catalyzed an inevitable shift to online learning.

Online education in general, however, is not a new phenomenon, nor is it likely to disappear with the return of in-person instruction. The pandemic certainly came as a surprise, though ultimately a widespread familiarity with the basic tools of email, course websites and video conferencing helped students and teachers adapt to a new normal. Like so many other universities around the world, the University of Michigan relied on its existing technological resources to design a distanced education for the COVID-19 era.
